Abrading – Frame or mount – Portable abrader
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-16
2001-04-24
Rose, Robert A. (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Frame or mount
Portable abrader
C451S495000, C451S519000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220948
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to sanding and abrading devices. More particularly, it relates to an improved attachment for a sander which allow for adjustably sanding and abrading contoured surfaces.
STATEMENT OF THE PRIOR ART
Various types of sanders and abrading devices have been devised which allow for sanding and abrading contoured surfaces. These types of device are especially useful in the automotive body repair industry, as recent card designs have featured highly contoured, aerodynamic body designs. The majority of these devices are either manual devices or are designed to work with specialized actuators.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,187 issued to Balbi discloses a tool for sanding contoured surfaces having means for adjustably controlling the shape of the base to which the sanding material is applied. The adjustment means is relatively rigid and has a fairly complex mechanism, including a pair of screw adjusted journals which may be selectively raised, lowered, or spaced to adjust the curvature of the supporting base. The present invention, by contrast, recognizes that it is virtually impossible to exactly match the contour of any shaped surface. To that end, the present invention uses a plurality of interchangeable springs to adjust the flexible supporting base. The springs can be selectively applied to approximate the shape of the surface to be sanded or abraded. The springs allow the supporting base to conform to the shape of the contoured surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,251 issued to Rouse discloses another sanding device. The device is an endless belt sanding device which has a triangular frame to which sanding belts may be releasably attached. By contrast, the present invention contemplates a sanding device having a spring loaded support block to which individual sanding sheets may be releasably attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,515 issued to Blome discloses an adjustable sanding device having a flexible membrane serving as a support surface for an abrasive medium. Opposing edges of the membrane are supported by spaced plates which are selectively positioned to adjust the curvature of the membrane. The present invention contemplates a support for an abrasive medium which has both a flexible membrane and a spring loaded adjustment means allowing the membrane to more fully conform to the contours of the object being sanded or abraded.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art by providing an attachment for an oscillatory sanding or abrading device which has a pair of flexible support members for supporting the sanding or abrading material. The initial radius of curvature of the flexible support member may be adjusted by a spring loaded adjustment mechanism. An opposing pair of circular recesses formed in opposing faces of the flexible sheets allows for replacement of the springs. The recesses can be formed at both ends of the flexible sheets. Adjustment of the initial radius of curvature is accomplished by inserting springs of varying sizes into one or both pairs of recesses. The radius of curvature of the flexible support member during the sanding process is then a function of the spring constant of the spring used and the applied pressure. The device thus uses a series of discrete adjustments each of which covers a range of contoured shapes.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a new and improved attachment for sanding and abrading devices which allows for sanding and abrading contoured surfaces.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved attachment for sanding and abrading devices which has a layered flexible support member for supporting the sanding or abrading material.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved attachment for sanding and abrading devices which has a spring loaded support mechanism for adjusting for the contour of the surface to be sanded.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved attachment for sanding and abrading devices having interchangeable springs of varying heights for adjusting the radius of curvature of the sanding material.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved attachment for sanding and abrading devices having springs of varying spring constants for adjusting the flexibility of the support mechanism for the sanding and abrading material.
It is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved attachment for sanding and abrading devices having a plurality of discrete adjustments each of which allow for sanding a range of contoured surfaces.
Finally, it is a general object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1700114 (1929-01-01), Thompson
patent: 1700115 (1929-01-01), Thompson
patent: 5464366 (1995-11-01), Hutchins
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